Vive l’Amour

1994

Part of Tsai's repertoire is his infamous medium close-ups, often head-on, but an equally crucial portion is comprised of a spectrum from medium to long shots through which Tsai alternatingly frames the expanse of a whole room, threads through doorways and hallways, or shows two characters seated alone together. The camera takes its cues as much from the space as from the character, a jarring approach in the motivation-driven grammar of conventional narrative.

It is in fact deliberately paced and in perfect unison with the char-actor. Re-presenting the mental landscape of the character, as if in a thinking bubble, the pan is not only neatly orchestrated and highly articulated but also allows the contingency of reality (the weather, the noises and the landscape) to slip in and become crucial parts of the mise en scène.